“I saw you, you know. When I was out. It was strange. I kind of knew it was a dream because you kept telling me to wake up, but it felt so real.”
“I was sitting beside you telling you to wake up, maybe that’s why.”
My heart warms, then freezes over once more. “I hope that isn’t the case because I saw Jeremy too. And my parents. Basically, everyone was making me want to wake up, so I can take Jeremy down. I need to make sure he can’t hurt anyone else.”
Zane’s face breaks into a smile. “Well, I will be there to help you with that.”
His hand clings to mine and his skin sends electricity right through me. Just as it always has done. This man has always made me feel this way, this is what love is supposed to be like. If only I’d met Zane before Jeremy…
I guess I might not have been mature enough for it then. But it still would’ve been better.
“I’m back!” The door flies open and Clara’s red face appears. “Oh my God, Nova. You’re awake. I was so worried that you wouldn’t wake up ever…”
She shoves Zane out the way and grabs onto me, her eyes flashing with all kinds of emotion. A small giggle bursts past my lips, I can’t help it, her face is just so full of feelings.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” I reassure her.
“No, it wasn’t you, it was that horrible man you married. I can’t believe you didn’t wake me up the moment he turned up at the door. I’m gutted, I couldn’t help you.”
“I didn’t want my mistakes to affect anyone else. They affected Zane enough…”
“You don’t need to worry about me,” Zane jumped in. “I will get all the papers to print a retracement, now that the truth will come out. Sure, mud might stick in some cases, but I know that I haven’t done anything wrong. I will ride high and win this.”
“I still feel bad though.” I dart my eyes nervously between Zane and Clara. “For the effect, this has had on both of you.”
We all smile at one another, united in this shared experience. It isn’t a great one, but as I’ve learned from my past, negative experiences can lead to something wonderful. We all just need to get through this and we’ll come out the other side.
“So, when the hell am I going to get out of here?” I ask with a smile. “I’m sick of it already.”
“I can go and get a doctor?” Zane replies.
I nod. “Thank you. That would be good, so I know what’s going on.”
Also, it’ll give me a moment with Clara by myself and I think we might need a chat. I need to be more open-minded to what she has to say now because her words are wiser than mine.
“I’m so sorry, Clara. I didn’t mean to bring any of this to you.”
“It isn’t your fault! I don’t know how I can make you feel that this isn’t your fault. It never has been. I know you chose to marry Jeremy, but you didn’t know what you were walking into when you did. You also didn’t ask for any of this to happen! This is all on him. And, in case you’ve forgotten, you’re the one who’s come out of it the worst.”
She points to the hospital bed and I can’t help but agree. “At least I’m alive though. That was a massive shock. I really thought when that bullet was flying at me that I was dead. I assumed that he had finally won. It was awful.”
“Thank God his shooter was shitty.”
“Yeah, it could have been so different.”
We pause for a moment, looking at one another and pondering how different things could have been. Clara could right now be sobbing over a corpse, wishing that her best friend was still alive.
“So, you and Zane?” She breaks the silence and cocks an eyebrow at me.
“Yeah… me and Zane. Another stupid choice, don’t you think?”
“Actually, no I don’t think. He really cares about you.”
Her words make my heart skip a beat, but I try not to get too lost. “But I’ve destroyed him.”
“Zane is strong. You haven’t destroyed him.”
I chew down coyly on my bottom lip before confessing the next bit. “He just told me that he loves me.”